Pliny the Elder

Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Elder, that is. Per the label's numerous admonitions, this is not to be aged:

“Pliny the Elder is a historical figure, don’t make the beer in this bottle one.”

"Not a barley wine, do not age!"

"Age your cheese, not your Pliny!"

"Respect hops, consume fresh!"

"Consume Pliny fresh, or not at all!"

"Respect your Elder: Keep cold, drink fresh, do not age!"

"If you must, sit on eggs, not on Pliny!"

"Does not improve with age!"

"Hoppy beers are not meant to be aged! Keep away from heat!"


So, best enjoy this beer's fulsome hoppiness. And why Pliny? Well, it turns out that the first written reference to hops was in Pliny's Naturalis Historia. See? Beer is educational.

Bottled 12/23/09, Golden orange amber colour. Fragrant and green nose, very citrus-y hops, marmalade, verbena, mint, grass eucalyptus. You get the idea. On the palate, crisp but persistently bitter, viscous, almost chewy, but the bitterness is cleansing, a lot of presence. Hops, of course, pine tar, pine sap, very sharp sour citrus acidity on the attack, orange and more pine. The 8% abv is barely noticeable. Paired with the cool evening Pacific sea breeze on my aunt’s balcony in Del Mar, with date trees waving overhead. An ideal pairing, no? Very interesting brew, though the bitterness might be too much for some… too many IBU for you? Normally, I wouldn't go for a beer this hoppy, but the pine and citrus notes balance things out for me. I have managed to sneak an extra bottle into my suitcase for immediate consumption.